For Team Bud Racing Kawasaki the season really start this weekend in Italy, as they line up for the first time this season three bikes for Brian Moreau, Mitchell Harrison and Jimmy Clochet in the fourth GP of the season. It was a come back for Brian after his crash in Argentina, a first race in Europe for Mitchell and both had a great Saturday.
Winner one week ago in the opening round of the French MX1 National, Jimmy Clochet was fully ready for the second round of the EMX250, even if he switched bike from one weekend to another. Brian got the ‘green light’ from his doctor just one week ago and just spend a few hours on his bike before traveling to Arco alongside American Mitchell Harrison who arrived in Hossegor last Tuesday to replace Brian Hsu. Mitchell scores a GP podium three years ago in the US when he was 18 years old, but he never visited any European track before this weekend.
Qualified mid pack for the EMX250 Jimmy Clochet got a great start in the first race, but when another rider hit his front wheel in the second turn he crashed and lost his fourth position! He was very lucky as none of the thirty riders coming behind hurt him, but he regained the track in last position and came back twentieth to score one point. The second race was not better for him, as he failed to add some points after several crashes on a rough track.
Using both practice sessions to learn the track and adapt the bike to his style, Mitchell Harrison got a great start in the qualifying race and scored an excellent fifth position even if he just rode the Bud Kawasaki twice before flying to Italy. He didn’t got such good starts on Sunday, but scores some points in the first moto on a track where passing was a real challenge. Tenth of the qualifying race Brian Moreau crashed twice during the first race but also scores his first points of the season; fourth at the start of the second race, he retires early after a crash in a corner.
After this first step, Brian and Mitchell have now five weeks to prepare the next round of the World Championship scheduled in Mantova (again in Italy!); both will have time to train and work with the team as they will join Jimmy Clochet for the next rounds of the French Elite (Romagne this weekend and Bitch in three weeks’ time).
